One Last Riddle SJ Conversion pt 1

SJ Module Conversion:  One Last Riddle

This free adventure can be found at:
http://wizards.com/dnd/article1.asp?x=dnd/oa/oa20010202a,3

This module^Òs first requirement for an SJ conversion is that it
includes a ship.  One has been added and the number of kobolds has been
increased to crew it.  This is an ideal module for PCs to gain their
first ship in and is quite suitable for even 1st level characters.
Note that with the exception of the wyvern, the original module can be
easily completed by an intelligent 1st level party or a coordinated 2nd
or 3rd level party with little trouble.  Note that the PCs must be on a
ship initially to begin the adventure.  No stats are provided in the
conversion for the ghost creature as it is far too powerful for PCs to
take on anyway.  If they do attack it, it simply leaves through the
ethereal plane, either disgusted by the PC^Òs (a fal) or driven by more
important things and now viewing the PCs as unworthy of its continued
notice (a sphinx).  Note that the given kobolds are also quite powerful
for a kobold band but this can be easily explained if they are ex-scro
allies.
        This conversion presents a lengthy extension of the original module in
an effort to show how even such a bare bones plot can be turned into a
significant campaign event.  Stupid PCs are very likely to fail in the
latter part of this conversion and players who prefer not to role-play
will not enjoy the conversion as presented.

Fix:
        No maps are provided.  Use appropriate maps of mystery from the
Wizards site (http://www.wizards.com) or make your own.  In creating or
choosing a map remember the size of the lair^Òs original inhabitant.
The conversion assumes the lair and town are both in the same asteroid
field and that the area of the lair detailed (where the kobolds are)
are two entry chambers, one after the other in linear fashion.  Neither
has notable terrain features.  The rest of the lair is up to the DM.
        Ujaset is listed as CE yet he is supposed to be an androsphinx, a
creature that is always CG.  DMs can assume the alignment change was
brought on by his demise and the hatred and anger that made him a ghost
or simply change him back to CG, if he is used at all.
        Telling DMs to constantly refer to the 3e Monster Manual for stats is
bad form for a module.  The idea of a module is to have everything in
one place in summary format for ease of use.  Since the module is a
.pdf file and not printed size is not a consideration.  Stats have been
added here for the creatures lacking them.  The original kobolds all
had 2 hp and the dire weasels both had 13 hps.  I have rolled for
kobold hps so they appear where the kobolds are located.  The dire
weasels^Ò hit points also appear where they are located as I have
increased the number of dire weasels in the conversion as well as
rolling for hps for each.
        Wyvern (1 or 2):  HD 7d12+14; hp 59 (, 63); Init +1; Spd 20 ft., fly
60 ft. (poor); AC 17 (^Ö2 size, +1 Dex, +8 natural); Atk +9 melee (1d6+4
and poison, sting), +4 melee (2d8+2 bite), +4 melee (1d8+2, 2 wings) or
+9 melee (1d6+4, 2 claws); SA poison, improved grab, snatch; SQ scent;
AL NE; SV Fort +7, Ref +6, Will +6; Str 19, Dex 12, Con 15, Int 6, Wis
12, Cha 9.
Skills and Feats:  Listen +13, Move Silently +9, Spot +13 (+16 in full
daylight); Alertness, Flyby Attack.
Poison (Ex):  Sting, Fortitude Save (DC 17); initial and temporary
damage 2d6 temporary Con damage.
        Improved Grab (Ex):  If wyvern hits with both claw attacks it hangs on
and gets a sting attack each round after with no dexterity adjustment
to the prey^Òs armor class.
        Snatch:  If the wyvern grabs a tiny or smaller creature it
automatically deals damage with both claws and sting each round the
hold is maintained.  It can drop a creature it has grabbed as a free
action or it can hurl a grabbed creature aside 30 feet as a standard
action.  If hurled the creature suffers 3d6 damage.  If the wyvern was
flying when it hurled them aside they suffer either falling damage from
the height they were at when dropped or 3d6 damage from the throw,
whichever is greater.
        Kobold:  HD 1/2d8; Init +1; Spd 30 ft.; AC 15; Atk -1 melee (1d6-2,
half spear) or +2 ranged (1d8/19^Ö20, light crossbow); SQ Darkvision 60
ft., light sensitivity; AL
LE; SV Fort +0, Ref +1, Will +2; Str 6, Dex 13, Con 11, Int 10, Wis 10,
Cha 10.
Skills and Feats:  Craft (trapmaking) +4 (includes racial bonus), Hide
+8, Listen +2, Move Silently +4, Search +4 (includes racial bonus),
Spot +2; Alertness.
Light Sensitivity (Ex):  ^Ö1 penalty on attack rolls in bright sunlight
or within radius of a daylight spell.
Possessions:  The kobolds in the original module all had half spears
and leather armor only.
        Dire Weasel:  HD 3d8; Init +4; Spd 40 ft.; AC 16 (+4 Dex, +2 natural);
Atk +6 melee (1d6+3, bite); SA attach, blood drain; SQ scent; AL N; SV
Fort +3, Ref +7, Will +4; Str 14, Dex 19, Con 10, Int 2, Wis 12, Cha
11.
Skills and Feats:  Hide +9, Move Silently +10, Spot +5; Weapon Finesse
(bite).
Attach (Ex):  On a successful hit the dire weasel latches on and drains
blood each round.  Its AC is reduced to 12 as it loses all Dex
adjustments to AC.
        Blood Drain (Ex):  Drain blood for 2d4 temporary Con damage each round
it remains attached.
        The kobold sergeant^Òs HD should be 3d8.  Reduce his hps to 18 to
reflect the change.
        Oppol^Òs dagger does criticals on 19-20.  Cone of cold is a 5th level
sorcerer spell, not 4th.  Replace it with ice storm.
        The module^Òs position in time and geography is unclear and the
kobolds^Ò actions illogical.  How long has it been since the kobolds
invaded the lair and killed the sphinx?  A week?  A day?  The module
says last night but the kobolds apparently cleaned out the lair quickly
and left hastily if that were true.  Why didn^Òt they stick around to do
a more thorough search?  Why did they leave Jaalask (this is unusual
for lawful creatures and they haven^Òt noticed his absence even the next
night as they party)?  Did they simply forget him in their haste?  How
could the ghost form in one day?  Don^Òt they take 2d4 days to form?
Why are the kobolds lairing in the middle of the forest?  Why are they
not located in caves?  Where is the rest of the tribe?  Is the warband
only actually in the forest while they wait on Oppol?  Why are they
waiting here?  Why don^Òt they join him or return to the tribe^Òs main
lair?  How close is the town?  Why are there wyverns and a sphinx so
close to town?  If this is regular kobold territory why didn^Òt the
sphinx know about them?  Why didn^Òt they know of the sphinx before?
Did they know?  How far is it to town?  How long has Oppol been there
before the PCs arrive?
        There is no logic to the encounter with Oppol.  Why is he waiting in
town?  Why not find out when the weapons will be ready and come back
for them then?  Where did he get the house?  Did he waste money buying
it?  Certainly the PCs could investigate the house by asking around
town.  Has he owned it in his gnome disguise for a while?  If so, why
doesn^Òt anyone in town know him (it^Òs not a large town)?  How does he
plan to transport 2500 gp in masterwork weapons on his own (that^Òs 8
weapons)?  Why would he plan to instead of simply sneaking his war band
into the house under cover of darkness and then having them carry the
weapons once they are finished?  He^Òs described as the chief of the
tribe, not just a war band leader.  So where^Òs the tribe^Òs lair?  How
many more kobolds are there?  How can he afford to be away for so long
without risking a coup?  How did he transport 2500+ gp of treasure from
the lair to town on his own?  Why has he established only one trap?
Why hasn^Òt he trapped the windows, set up alarm traps to warn him of
intruders, and summoned a familiar that could help him watch for
enemies?  This conversion has chosen to answer these questions by fully
detailing the town and providing a true role-playing experience for PCs
rather than just a few gather information rolls and an anti-climactic
fight with a lone, unprepared sorcerer.

SJ Adaption:
In this adaptation the kobolds are bent on personal conquest.  They may
be groundlings who acquired a ship or they may be deserters from the
scro forces (whether before, during, or after the Second Unhuman War
doesn^Òt matter).  In the latter case, capturing and interrogating some
of the band could yield a wealth of information on the scro (perhaps
even revealing local plans and strength or the location of a base) and
get the PCs involved with a larger campaign against the humanoid
threat.  The Elven Fleet and any local dwarven and gnomish colonies
would also be interested in any information the PCs can provide (as
would a variety of other forces that are enemies of the scro, such as
the Company of the Chalice).
        In the conversion it is assumed that the lair and the town are both
located in the same group of asteroids some distance apart on separate
asteroids (probably at least a day^Òs travel through the asteroids) and
that the kobolds slew the beast several days ago (at least 3 is
probably necessary) and so have that much of a head start on the PCs.
The lair is no longer simply a cave but rather an extensive complex
with a single entrance.  The kobold warband from the module is still
present, not off dancing illogically in open territory in a forest
clearing.  Oppol has taken his ship and the remaining kobolds in the
tribe (the other clan) with him on his business.
        Encounter 1:  Ujaset should be replaced by an astrosphinx or a fal if
the DM wishes to make the module more SJ related.  A fal is a giant
creature whose lair (and the scale of the lair) would be much larger
while astrosphinxes are completely crazy so DMs may choose not to
follow this suggestion.  If the astrosphinx option is used, it is still
possible to have a crazy ghost.  Only now the ghost is driven by a
desire for revenge but is prevented from it by some force unknown to it
(this is fear, anything that could slay the astrosphinx can make it
scared and as astrosphinxes typically know no fear it is unused to this
condition).  In its need for revenge (and no longer having any hunger
pangs) it will deal with the PCs in a nearly civilized manner, simply
ordering them to do its will or be destroyed.  Even if PCs resist the
crew should force the PCs to go along as they don^Òt want to face an
angry astrosphinx, especially not a spectral one.  If a fal is used it
should easily be able to convince the PCs to avenge it in simple
conversation.  As reward it offers to tell the PCs where all its hidden
treasure is stored once the task is complete.  They may also bargain it
up to answering no more than two of their questions to the best of its
ability, but again, on when the deed is done.  Once the PCs agree, they
are informed of the route to the creature^Òs lair.
        Encounter 2:  The asteroid the creature laired on may either be
vibrant with life (to sustain the wyverns) or barren (replace the
wyverns with scavvers that have just arrived).  If the asteroid is
barren then there are plants and mosses in the lair (including in the
food pond that was maintained by the inhabitant) that refresh the
asteroid^Òs air.  If the wyverns are used they wyverns were never slain
by the astrosphinx (if that option is used) as they are unable to speak
and answer its questions and thus, of no interest to it.  If the fal
option is used the fal let them be as it considered them simple
animals.  An androsphinx would have let them survive to keep away
unwanted guests.  The wyverns didn^Òt bother the kobolds, being used to
the fact that the other large, non-shark-like (i.e., non-scavver)
creature in the area is more powerful than them and so staying away.
They may react the same to PCs or they might attack, having since
encountered the kobolds that came off the wasp ship and thinking these
parasites are good eating (they eaten 3 to date).  They will no attack
the ship itself, merely concentrating on above decks crew and if
significantly wounded by the ship will flee, thinking the large
creature doesn^Òt want its parasites eaten.  Such are the ways of stupid
animals (the wyverns are familiar with parasites as they instinctually
clean parasites off each other).  One or both of the wyverns may attack
at the DM^Òs desire.  If replaced with scavvers, use as many as
appropriate.  In this case the scavvers have only recently reached the
asteroid and not encountered any other life yet.  The air smells of
life, however, and so they have begun searching for food.


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